Last Updated on: 11th October 2024, 11:47 am
Cricket Games For Kids
Develop skills with these fun cricket games
Cricket is a great game for kids to play and one they can learn from a young age. Although, very young players might find concentrating on a full game trickier. Training games for kids are a great way to get them started. Adapting traditional play and setting up fun cricket games will help them develop their skills. There are plenty of suitable options for all ages but here are some of our favourites. These cricket games require minimal training equipment or set-up and are perfect for practicing essential skills.
Our Favourite Cricket Games For Kids
1. Caterpillar Catch
Caterpillar catch is one of the classic cricket games and is perfect for players of various ages. It’s a great way to improve their catching and hand-eye coordination.
What you need: Ball, cones or markers,
How to play:
- Set out a cone at the beginning and end of the course.
- Divide the players into two teams.
- Have them stand in 2 parallel lines with the first player standing at the starting cone. The distance between the lines depends on how old the players are and how challenging you want the game to be.
- The first player throws the ball to the player opposite them. They then run around the outside of their line and join the end.
- The player with the ball throws it diagonally to the player opposite before running to the back of their line.
- The ball is passed along the two lines in a zig-zag with each player catching it in turn.
- The game is over once both teams have reached the end cones.
Make it harder:
- Have the players go up and down the caterpillar before the game ends.
- Introduce more balls and have players throw each one before they run to the back of the line.
- Include penalties for dropped balls. For example, if a ball is dropped the team must wait 5 seconds before moving.
Focus on:
Make sure your players are focusing on:
- Correct catching position
- Accurate throwing
- Watching the ball
2. French Cricket
There are plenty of variations to the rules of French cricket but the basics stay the same. It’s a quick and fun game that helps develop batting, throwing, and catching skills.
What you need: Soft ball, cricket bat
How to play:
- Have players form a circle with one player standing in the middle.
- The person in the middle is the batsman. The players in the circle are the fielders.
- The fielders take turns throwing the ball underarm towards the batsman’s legs.
- The batsman must stand on their spot facing the forwards using the bat to protect their legs. They cannot change direction.
- The batsman is out if a fielder touches their legs with the ball or a hit ball is caught.
- When a batsman is out, the players change positions to allow someone else to stand in the centre.
Make it harder:
- Increase the distance between the players in the circle and the batsman.
- Have the fielders take a step back every time the batsman avoids their throw.
- Allow the fielders to throw to each other as well as at the batsman. They can then work as a team to get the batsman out.
Focus on:
Encourage players to focus on:
- Accurate throwing
- Watching the ball
- Catching and batting
3. Continuous Cricket
Also known as non-stop cricket, this fun and fast game lets children practice their skills. Use quick cricket games to get players moving and having a good time.
What you need: Cricket bat, ball, wickets, cones
How to play:
- Set out a cone on either side of the wickets.
- Split players into 2 teams. One team will field and the other will bat.
- Set the amount of time the batters will have before swapping with the other team.
- The bowler bowls the ball to the batter.
- The batter must run to one of the cones and back whether they hit the ball or not.
- The fielders must get the ball back to the bowler as quickly as possible to bowl again. The ball can be bowled if the batter is there or not.
- When the ball is thrown again, the batter runs to the opposite cone. This continues every time the ball is thrown.
- If the batter is caught or bowled out, the next batter comes forward. Players must be ready to swap as play doesn’t stop.
- Play continues until all batters are out or the batting time is finished. The two teams swap places and play starts again.
Make it harder:
- Increase the distance between the wicket and the two cones.
Focus on:
Keep focused on the following:
- Stamina and speed
- Throwing accuracy
- Thoughtful placement of the ball by the batter
4. Fielding Tug Of War
This tug-of-war is a fun activity that can really help develop accuracy. Ideally, you’ll want a large, lightweight ball but a football can be a great substitution.
What you need: Football or similar, cricket balls, cones
How to play:
- Set up two parallel lines of cones. Place a large, lightweight ball in the centre of the two lines
- Divide the players into two teams and have them stand behind the lines facing each other.
- The teams throw their balls at the centre ball to move it towards the opposing team’s line.
- A point is scored if the team gets the centre ball across the opposing team’s line.
- When the centre ball has crossed the line, play stops and the game is reset.
- Play ends after a certain amount of time or a specified number of points is reached.
Make it harder:
- Increase the distance between the two teams.
- Have the players sprint to their lines before they begin throwing.
- Make the centre ball smaller to increase accuracy.
- Set up a second line of cones behind each team line. Every time the players throw a ball, they must sprint to the second line and back before they throw again.
Focus on:
Get your players thinking about:
- Throwing accuracy
- Proper throwing technique
- Fielding techniques
Get Everything You Need
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Tags: cricket coaching, cricket drills, cricket games, cricket training, games for kids